flickering lights and timing chain questions.

[vannooch]

Is it possible that a worn timing chain could cause flickering headlights.  I did a valve adjustment over the winter, sync'd the carbs, added an ape cam chain tensioner as well.  I got her nice and quiet kind of what she sounded like when I brought her home from the dealer.  Now I hear a bit of slop coming from the generator area.  I am assuming that this is the timing chain that I am hearing.  The lights puls along with the noise from the internal racket that I am hearing.  Is my timing chain heading down the tubes?  I have 70k on the clocks and would like to put another 70k on her.  Also, is there any preventative maintenance on the timing chain that I should have been doing?

[Mettler1]

  Pull the alternator and check to see if the nut is tight on the cush drive on the end of the alternator. Sometimes it gets loose causing noise and light flickering.
    It's really not a timing chain. It's a chain that goes from the crank to the alternator cush drive that drives the alternator.
  The alternator chain and tensioner can be a problem anytime. I changed mine at 100,000 mile an the chain was still in spec for stretch (barely) and tensioner was fine. Some fail earlier, some later. When it starts to fail you will hear it. Clattering noise from the clutch area when the tensioner rod hits the clutch cover.

[Boomer]

If it's not that, check the Alternator chain under the clutch cover.
The tensioner on that chain is also crap.
Had to replace mine a few weeks ago.

[vannooch]

Thanks guys, Hopefully I'll have time to check it out this weekend.  Keep ya posted!

[T Cro ®]

At what RPM are you seeing/hearing this issue? If your idle is too low the rectifier my not have kicked in yet and your battery voltage may be low enough to allow the lights to modulate with uneven cold idle. Throw a volt meter on and make a note of both the RPM and the battery voltage when this is happening and does it go away at higher rpm....

[vannooch]

I hear the noise at low rpms, about 1000-1200.  I don't think that i hear it at higher rpms.  i'll check it with a meter though.  However the lights still pulse at cruising speed.

[T Cro ®]

I hear the noise at low rpms, about 1000-1200.  I don't think that i hear it at higher rpms.  i'll check it with a meter though.  However the lights still pulse at cruising speed.

With a manual cam chain tensioner you might hear a little bit of noise when the engine is cold; it may likely change a little once warmed up. Resist all urge to further tighten the chain beyond what the directions call far as an overly quite chain can be a sure sign of an upcoming failure.... Don't ask how I knows this one!

As to pulsing lights at cruising speed that likely has nothing whatsoever to do with your chain and more than like an issue in the electrical system... To start I'd be checking battery connections for being clean & tight as well as battery water level.

[RFH87_Connie]

Also look at the connector on the alternator and headlight.  When they don't make the best of connection they can burn the connector up.  I inspect mine once a year to make sure the metal is not blueing.

[CoolBreeze]

I just went through a similar situations with flickering lights and wandering voltage. Long story short is I learned it seemed to be due to the connection on the plugs at the bottom of the J box.

I did go through all the other connectors and even put on another alternator but it wasn't until I addressed the plugs on the j box that I fixed it.

I also had a loose drive on the alternator which was easily fixed by removing and retorqueing the bolt.